Boxsters in snow
Discussion
Kate Bush would agree that there are '50 words for snow' but overlooked that there are at least 5 types of snow/winter tyre. Then then you have a choice of width.
I've just done my 9th winter on the trot in mine and I've used N-rated Pirellis and more recently non N-rated - always full width. Overall it's been a good experience - occasionally epic fun but equally sphincter tightening at other times. It just depends on the type of snow (fresh on top of ice is the worst) and the gradient. Some days, I still left it at home but wondered what if I had gone for the narrower option, or a more snow focused tyre. The point is that although they have merit for 4-5 months per annum due to the cold, there isn't generally that much truly 'wintry' weather so the compromise is rightly set in favor of dry/cold and wet/ cold winter performance over actual on-snow performance.
What can be fun is often around now when temps have risen and you can believe that you have 100bhp more than is actually on offer, and then when you go back to your summer boots, it's like driving a new car once again.
I've just done my 9th winter on the trot in mine and I've used N-rated Pirellis and more recently non N-rated - always full width. Overall it's been a good experience - occasionally epic fun but equally sphincter tightening at other times. It just depends on the type of snow (fresh on top of ice is the worst) and the gradient. Some days, I still left it at home but wondered what if I had gone for the narrower option, or a more snow focused tyre. The point is that although they have merit for 4-5 months per annum due to the cold, there isn't generally that much truly 'wintry' weather so the compromise is rightly set in favor of dry/cold and wet/ cold winter performance over actual on-snow performance.
What can be fun is often around now when temps have risen and you can believe that you have 100bhp more than is actually on offer, and then when you go back to your summer boots, it's like driving a new car once again.
My 986s, first on PS2s and then Falken FK 452s (18" wheels), was appalling in Lancastrian snow - basically it stopped dead.
However, as said, there's lots of different scenarios and one persons very light dusting of snow is another persons blizzard of Biblical proportions (if they had snow in the Bible...).
Although a totally different type of car, my '06 Focus Estate is fantastic in snow,slush and fresh hailstones on Avon Ice Touring tyres that have served well for three snowy winters.
A very difficult subject to make accurate statements about, methinks.
However, as said, there's lots of different scenarios and one persons very light dusting of snow is another persons blizzard of Biblical proportions (if they had snow in the Bible...).
Although a totally different type of car, my '06 Focus Estate is fantastic in snow,slush and fresh hailstones on Avon Ice Touring tyres that have served well for three snowy winters.
A very difficult subject to make accurate statements about, methinks.
535dBoy said:
Hi All
Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
Search and ye shall find.Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Carl_Docklands said:
535dBoy said:
Hi All
Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
Search and ye shall find.Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Carl_Docklands said:
Thanks interesting stuffPlaced a deposit now so see what winter brings !
535dBoy said:
Hi All
Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
The first time I drove my Boxster in the snow and with summer (new summer) tires and it was a blast. I just played around in on town roads with no traffic (2am in the morning) and in a deserted parking lot. Speeds were barely above 20mph.Looking at buying new Boxster for Mrs
What are your experience of them in the snow, I assume bad !?
Anybody run winter tyres which made them much better?
The 2nd time I got caught in a horrible snow storm/ice storm and spent over 8 hours with eyes unblinking as I drove hundreds of miles in heavy snow. With summer tires I was afraid to pull off the road for fear I would get stuck and stuck in a place with no place to stay until the roads were cleared. I was in a very unfamiliar area and knew of no motels/hotels and as bad as the highway was from what I could see out of the car and hear over the radio the other roads were worse, much worse.
I made it home unscathed though I was lucky. Very very lucky.
Thus if you are going to send your dear wife out in the Boxster in the snow fit the car with proper snow tires.
There are a couple of things about the Boxster in the snow/ice.
The side glass can freeze/stick so it will not drop when the door is opened. The top edge of the glass scrapes the rail as the door is pulled open. But if the door is closed the top edge of the window smacks the rail with a sound and a feel that has one expecting to get showered with glass fragments.
This has happened to me more often than I care to remember, but fortunately I've never had, or a passenger has never had a window break.
What I do is pay attention that the window drops as it should as I lift the handle and pull the door open. If it does not drop I open the door gently then get in the car and turn on the key and work the window lower button and gently push down on the glass to get the window to break loose and to lower. It doesn't take much force, just a gentle push down with a bit of a wiggle to break the thin coating of ice that has the window stuck. Then I raise/lower the glass a few times then with the glass down I close the door and raise the glass manually.
The heater will warm up the small cabin quickly and if the car is driven a while the rear window will clear and the snow on the top will melt and if the car is driven long enough the top will dry.
If the top does not dry, if the snow does melt completely and if the car is parked up the water from the melting snow can run down and refreeze the glass.
If one is driving a good distance in heavy snow, slush, and spray from vehicles ahead the snow/slush can build up at the base of the windshield where it gets added to by the slush the wipers scrape down to the point visibility out of the car is affected and air flow into the the cabin is affected. This renders the defrost less effective so one has to once in awhile pull over someplace safe and clear this away if the build up well, builds up.
My Boxster was a nice piece of work in the snow and I miss living in an area where snow happens. However, were I to live in such an area I would certainly (as I touched upon above) buy the right winter/snow tires for the car.
Sincerely,
Rockster.
Hedgeman said:
My experiences when I had my 3.4S on 19's with nearly new PS2's...bloody atrocious on snow and ice and semi-frozen slush. I would not have been happy letting my wife drive it (and that's not because I was precious about the car).
But with the correct winter tyres, it will be absolutely fine in the snow.
FarQue said:
By the look of it, you can't really call those roads snow-covered. As said before: there's snow and there's snow (lots of it).
You are absolutely right - only light snowfall on that part of the drive where I took the photo, although the ungritted road, especially further up into the hills, proved the ability of the car on the right tyres.Several other drives in proper amounts of snow have been great.
This clip (despite a bit of showboating) shows there is plenty of grip...
http://youtu.be/m2D-tBdCPtg
Anyway, to answer the OP, I think the Boxster on the right tyres is absolutely fine. Others may of course have different opinions.
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